eickemeyee



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. EIGKEMEYER.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING MECHANICAL MOTION FROM ELEOTRIGALENERGY.

Patented Mar. 1'7, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. EIGKEMEYER. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORDEVELOPING MECHANICAL MOTION FROM ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

No. 448,326. Patented Mar. 17,1891

jay. 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NEXT YORK.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING MECHANiCAL MOTlON FROM ELECTRlCALENERGY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,826, dated March17, 1891.

Application filed July 20, 1888. dcrial No. 280,498. (No model.) I

To aZZ- whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RnDoLn EICKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in the county ofW'est-chester and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Method of and Apparatus for Developing Mechanical Motion fromElectrical Energy, and also a Mode of Operating Electric Motors inAccordance with said Method; and I do hereby declare that the followingspecification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished andforming a part thereof, is a clear, true, and complete description ofthe several features of my invention, and such portions thereof as maybe appropriately herein embraced will be made the subjects of the claimshereunto annexed.

So far as my knowledge extends, all electric motors in which the fieldis derived from electro-magnets prior to my invention have necessarilyembodied a commutator in some form for delivering to and taking from themotor the necessary electric energy under certain precise conditions asto direction and time, and said com mutators must therefore of necessityalways operate in perfect unison or synchrony or harmony with themovable element in the motor; or, otherwise stated, all of said priorelectric motors have a capacity for rotative speed, which depends uponthe rotative speed of the commutator or equiva lent device.

My novel mode of developing mechanical motion from electrical energyinvolves developing polar conditions in one element of a motor throughthe operation of one portion of appropriate field-exciting electricity,then, without reversal of the poles, varying said polar conditions as tolocality through the operation of another independent but appropriatesupply of field-exciting energy, and also producing opposite butcorrespondingly varied polar conditions in the other or second elementof the motor, the polar condition of one of said elements being changedor varied in advance of the change in the polar condition of the other,and thereby providing for such successive alternate attracth e andrepulsive magnetic conditions as are essential for enabling one of saidelements to operate as the movable or driven portion of the motor.

Long after my present invention had been embodied by me in operativeorganizations I became cognizant of a certain French publication, theComptcs Bendus, of A. D. 1880, wherein on pages SOO-91O and 969, volume90, there is described a device called the tourniquet electrique ofMessrs. de Fonvielle and Lotin. Said device is an electric motor, inwhich a permanent magnetis employed for affording a magnetic field,within which is located an armature carrying spools or bobbins, to whichan alternating electric current is supplied in such a manner as topositively vary the polar conditions in the magnetic metal of thearmature, and only incidentally or by induction to vary the polarconditions of the permanent magnet. Said motor, so far as relates to thenon-employn'ient of commutato'cs in connection with the armature,resembles the motors devised by me; but under my novel method or processthe armaturcs are not and need not be loaded down with spools or bobbinsor anysimilar devices. Moreover, under my method the polar conditionsare positively shifted or varied, both in the field and in the armature,and hence my machines will operate with greater power in proportion asthe electric currents are strengthened and quickened, whereas in saidpermanent magnetic field under the same conditions the permanent magnetwill be Weale ened. My machines cannot possibly develop any permanentmagnetism in any portion of their organization, and their efficiency isdue to that feature, whereas in the said 'lourniquet Electriqueefficiency must more or less decrease with every hour of its operation,because the alternation of the electric currents in the spools on thearmature, located asthey are bet-ween the poles of the permanent magnet,must from the outset operate with demagnetizing influences and graduallyweaken the power of the machine until it becomes incapable of action.

I believe I am the first to thus vary the polar conditions, forinstance, of the field-exciting element, and thereby to cause aresulting or consequent variation in the armature or driven element byfeeding the first-named element with independent supplies offieldexciting electricity and in delivering said electricity theretounder such intermitting or pulsating conditions as will secure theaforesaid variations in the polar condition'of the fie1d=excitingelement and consequent sequential variations in the armature ordriven'element. Otherwise stated, I have for the first 5 time convertedelectric energy into mechanr o veloping in said movable elementcorrespondingly-varied but opposite polar conditions, and I have therebyproduced magnetic attractive and repulsive conditions under which saidelement is caused to move. The said de- I 5 vice of de Forielle andLotin is properly described in said publication as one involving What istermed synchronismeelectrique, because of its peculiar mode ofoperation; but in my motors there need be no synchronism zo whateverbetween the pulsative action of the electric energy and the rotativemovement of the armature, and hence when said pulsative action issufiiciently rapid to cause the armamm to smoothly rotate thesepulsations need notjbequickened or lessened for increasing or decreasingthe speed of the armature, it being only necessary to increase ordecrease the power of the exciting medium for varying the speed of themotor. In thus varying the speed 0 it is therefore wholly immaterialwhether the rapidity of the pulsative action be increased orlessened,provided that with the leastpower of the exciting medium the pulsationsbe sufficiently rapid to secure a smooth continuous rotation of thearmature. It will of course be understood, however, that with energizingmedium of great power applied under very slow pulsative conditions anarmature would be caused to intermittingly move in harmony 0 with theimpulses, and also that with less electric energy the armature would bealso intermittingly moved, but to a less extent under each pulsation.The aforesaid inter- .mitting or pulsating conditions are found in anyrapidly-broken or interrupted electric current, or in what is termed analternating current, because the latter also aifordsthe intermittingexcitation in the field, which is necessary for varying said polarconditions.

In motors capable of being operated by my novel method that elementthereof which embodies the field-exciting helices or coils may or maynot contain magnetizable metal, but in either case the other elementmust con tain such metal. When one portion of the 0nd of said elements,and when a separate portion of said exciting-helices directly develops anew polar condition in said magnetic metal by varying the positions ofthe poles in the one element then in sequential or progressive order, asto time, new'polar conditions are established by induction in themagnetic metal of the second element.

If, however, one of said elements contains all the magnetic metal andthe other of said elements contains only the fiel'd exciting helicesdivided into separate portions and these are separately andindependently supplied with exciting energy alternately deliveredthereto, the electrical impulses afford the variations in the magneticfield, which produce corresponding variations in the polar condition ofthe metal in the other element, and

sequentially vary the position of its poles, as when both of saidelements contain magnetic metal, as previously indicated.

It will or course be clearly understood, as hereinbefore indicated, thatwhen in my motors the aforesaid polar variationsoccur there is noreversal of polar condition's,but a shifting of the directly-excitedpoles of both denominations from certain positions to certain otherpositions in an annular field in the presen'ce of an armature containingmagnetizable metahand that these variations are sequentially followed bycorresponding variations in the opposite or induced poles of bothdenominations in said armature, and hence my novel motors are radicallycharacteristic in their mode of operation, in that therein the polarvariations essential for developing mechanical motion are efiected byfield-afiording helices variably energized by electricity, which isalways delivered to their terminals in the matter of direction preciselyas it leaves the terminals of the generators or other immedi ate sourcesof supply; or, in other words, the polar directions, as between theterminals of the generator and the terminals of the fieldexcitinghelices, are never reversed for, variably energizing the helices, andsuch reversal is only required for reversing the operation of the motor.I

To more particula ly describe my invention, I will refer to theaccompanying two sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates,partially in side View and partially in vertical cross-section, one ofmy novel electric motors, in which both of the elements contain magneticmetal. Fig. 2

illustrates the same machine in plan view coupled to an electricgenerator and provided with suitable electrical connections.illustrates, partly in side view and partly in section, one of my novelelectric motors, in which the magnetic metal is restricted to oneelement- 2'. e-., the armature-the other elementconsisting only ofexciting=helices. Fig.

tis a plan view of both of said elements, an electric generator, andsuitable connections. Fig 5 illustrates a modification oftheelectro-magnet of machine, Figs.1 and 2, as when Fig. 3

ITO

operated by exciting-currents from separate generators. Fig. 6illustrates a machine similar to Fig. 5, but having a different arrangementof the electric connections.

Referring to the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is to be understoodthat its station ary element consists of an annular mass or ring A ofiron embraced by the several coils or helices, which are equally dividedinto two separate sets, each independent of the other. The set of coilsB are eight in number, but four are on one side of the ring and four onthe other or opposite side; but these are so connected by theconducting-wires a and a that exciting energy applied in eitherdirection may occupy the eight coils. The set of coils O are also eightin number, four on one side and four on the other side of said ring, andthese, like the other set, are so connected by conducting-wires l) and bthat exciting currents in either direction may occupy the eight coils C.The source of the electricity suitable for supplying theseexciting-coils may be widely varied; but for the purposes ofillustration I here show a battery D in a conventional form; but it isto be distinctly understood that any generator, mechanical or chemical,may be used without departure from my invention, so long as theelectrical energy available therefrom is capable of developingelectromagnetism.

It will be seen that the conductors a and a of the eight coils B arecoupled by the conductors c and c with the poles of the generator D, andthat therefore poles N and S must be directly developed in twooppositelylocated portions of the ring-magnet A. The eight coils C arealso fed or supplied by exciting energy from any suitable source, eitherfrom the same as that on which the coils B rely or from one whollyindependent thereof; but, as here shown, their conducting-wires l) and bare coupled to the genorator-conductor c by wire 0 to b and wires and c"to b;

but said wires c and 0" do not afford a continuous circuit, it beingessential that the exciting medium by which at least one polar conditionis directly developed must in its effective operations alternate withthe effective operations of the exciting medium, by means of which saidpolar condition is varied or changed, so as to actually result in thedirect but momentary development of a new polar condition in themagnetic ring having special reference to shiftingor changing thelocation or position of the poles therein. As, for instance, if thecoils B were not supplied with exciting energy while the coils 0 werebeing fed, then the latter would develop, for instance, one pole at Nand the other at S. Then, again, if either or both sets of coils werepulsatively supplied with exciting energy, the result would be theshifting of the position of the poles toward and from N S The movableelement of this motor is the armature E, mounted to revolve on asuitable shaft or axis, which in this instance is vertieally arrangedand provided with a pulley for the transmission of power. This ar1natureis of disk form, composed of iron, and being surrounded annularly by theelectro-magnet in the same plane said armature has developed therein byinduction polar conditions oppositely corresponding to such polarconditions as may from time to tion of the elcctro-magnet, andconsequently of the armature, it is only necessary to intermittingly orimpulsively vary the feeding of the exciting energy to either or both ofsaid sets of coils, and how this is done is quite immaterial, so long aseither or both of the two sets of coils are intermittingly fed with theexciting electric energy so that said coils may be intermittingly orpulsatingly energized, and thereby made to afford the varying polarconditions, by which attraction and repulsion may be secured in regularorder, as between the positively-varying poles of the electro-magnet andthe induced varying poles of the armature. This intermittent orimpulsivesupply of the exciting energy can be readily provided for by theemployment of asimple star-wheel circuit-breaker F, which is located inthe circuit afforded by the wires 0 and 0, so that when said star-wheelis rotated the circuit is intermittingly opened and closed by thecontact of each tooth of the wheel, and it is immaterial how therequisite impulsive exciting electric energy may be developed, or howthis or any other type of circuitbreaker may be made or operated, or byan automatic vibrating circuit-breaker, as will be hereinafter morefully described, or even if no circuit-breaker be used at all, as when agenerator furnishes electric energy under sut'iiciently brokenconditions to be intermitting in its action, and to thereby cause thedesired polar variations in the magnet. Now assuming the machine to beat rest and with a current in the coils B, which. will develop the polesN S in the magnet and opposite thereto, induced poles in the armature ats n, and with no current in the coils 0, because of the momentary breakin their energizingcircuit, it will be seen that when GXClliIl electricimpulses are supplied to the coils the polar conditions of theelectro-magnet are varied by shifting of the poles from N 120 S to somepoint essentially between N S and N S, and said point will be located,for instance, in illustration, at N and S and it will be obvious that,following this chan e sequentially and in some immeasurable vai i- I2ation in time, the poles s and a will be de- 3 veloped in the armature,and it is by this intermitting variation in the polar conditions of thetwo elements of the motor that the alternating magnetic attraction andrepul- 1 o sion is afforded by which mechanical mo- J tion is developedfrom the electrical ener v supplied to the machine. If I couple eazh ofthese sets of coils to its own generator, I

would secure an intermitting supply of exciting energy in but one of thesets of coils; but when with two generators I employ a continuous coil,coupled to the generator-conductors so as to afford in substance twoseparate sets of coils, these latter may be so operated as to providefor variations in the exciting medium in both circuits, because with thecontinuous coil portions thereof will at times be occupied by balancingor opposing electric energ vas, for instance, as illustrated in Fig. 5.I11 this instance the annular magnet A is wholly encircled by one coilcontinuous from end to end. This coil is in substance divided into fourparts, because of the electric connections therewith, and for thepurposes of reference they will be designated as parts G G G2 G Thegenerator- D and the conductors c c are as in Fig. 2; but theseconductors are respectively coupled to diametrically-oppositeconvolutions of the continuous coil.

lutions previously described. Now with the generator D cut out theelectricity from generator D will enter at one side of the coil andleave at the other, developing, for instance, poles N an'd S near pointsrespectively between parts G and G and G; and G With generator D cut outa current from generator D will develop in like manner poles N and S;but for any given time, with both generators feeding the coil, thenpoles will be developed at or about N and S because parts G and'Gr willbe, for instance, practically neutralized by opposing energy or impulsesand parts G and G will be the active exciting portions of the coil, andhence any con.- secutive interruptions in the energy supplied to eithercircuit will so vary the polar conditions in the magnet as toproduceopposite but corresponding polar variations in the armature, andtherefore cause the latter to r0 tate, as before described.

I have hereinbefore referred to the employ mentof various means foraffording the requisite pulsative supply of the energizing medium,andalso to supplying both sets of helices with pulsating energy. It will beseen in Fig. 5 that the circuit-wire c is coupled at a binding-post (Z,so that the direct connection may be broken. Into this circuit I haveintroduced, as indicated in dotted lines, a wellknown type of automaticvibrating circuitbreaker F, so that when the latter is'in activeoperation the motor will be driven, whether the circuit-breaker F bealso in operation for pulsatively energizing the helices in its circuitor at rest, with its contacts so set as to afford a supply ofnon-pulsating energy to said helices. The desired operation of the motorwill also accrue, if instead of having the circuit-breakers independentof The conductors and c and the circuit-breaker F are as in Fig. 2; buta.

each other they be coupled together, so as to alternately operate intheir respective circuits by closing the one and opening the other--as,for instance, when two starwheels are mounted on one shaft, one a littlein advance of the other, or as when the vibrating contact ofcircuit-breaker F 'is arranged to operate in two circuits instead ofonly in one.

Now while I deem it generally preferable to employ magnetic metal inboth of the elements of the motor, it is to be understood that saidmetal may be restricted to the armature as one element, leaving only theseparate sets of exciting-helices to constitute the other element. Inthis case, however, the excitinghelices are flattened and arranged inpairs,

the other, and the disk of the armature partially within all of them.Such a machine is shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. In this case the armature Eis, as before described, and the same is true of the circuit breaker orinterrupter F, and the circuits and generator D are like those in Fig.2. The pair of exciting-coils H are composed of fine wire,and they areso wound and coupled to the generator that with the electrical energyapplied in a proper direction they will, for instance, develop in thearmature the poles at N S. Arranged crosswise of coils H and embracingthem, as well as portions of the armature, are the coils I I, preferablycomposed of coarser wire, for affording less resistance than coils l-I,because said coils I I are occupied at rapid intervals by intermittingor pulsating electric energy. Without any energy in coils H theintermitting energy applied in proper direction in coils I I woulddevelop, for instance, poles N and S on a line at right angles to thepolar arrangement first indicated, and therefore when both or either ofsaid coils are occupied intermittingly by any electric energy, howeverbrief the intervals, an inductive field is afforded, which develops thatintermitting variation inthe'location of the poles in the armature,which afiords the progressive variable magnetic attraction and repulsionon which the rotation of the armatu're depends.

Although I have thus far described the exciting-helices in what may betermed a quadrangular arrangement, it is not to be understood that saidarrangement is the only one which can be relied upon in a motoroperating in accordance with the main features of my invention. Insteadof connecting a continuous coil with the generator at four points, Ihave obtained effective results by connecting said coil' at three pointsonly, as illustrated in Fig. 6. In this machine the magnet A, itscontinuous coil, the armature E, and circuit-breaker F are all as inFig. 5. In this case the two poles of the generator are coupled todiametrically-opposite convolu tions of the magnet-coil, and one of,said poles by way of the circuit in which the cirfor instance, will bedeveloped by the other circuit; but when energyis supplied through theeireuit-breaker the portion G" of the coil is neutralized, and the polesare thereby shifted to points, say at N S. In this instance, as in Figs.3 and st, 1 provide for less resistance in the circuit-breaker circuitthan in the other circuit; but instead of using wire of different sizesI here introduce a resistance-coil at c. \Vit-h this latter arrangementof electric connection the pulsative effect in one circuit mustobviously produce more or less pulsative effects in the other circuit;and this is equally true of the organizations shown in Figs. at and 5,whether the electric energy be derived from one or from two sources,because in either case the current is increased in one circuit when itis decreased in the other.

It will be readily obvious that in the movable element of my motors thechanges in polar position are sequential and progressive, because itschanges in polarity follow those of the helices and the electro-magnet,and as the armature revolves each of its poles is always in a conditionas to polarity to be appropriately attracted and repulsed in the onedirection of movement by the next-developed poles in the stationaryelement, and notwithstanding the factthat said poles in said stationaryelement alternate or shift back and forth to and from what would betheir normal positions if the exciting energy was not in1- pulsively 0rinteri'nittingly operative in its action and effects upon or in themagnetic field.

I have devised other forms of machine varying in the arrangement of thehelices and electric connections, but it is believed that those shownare fully ample for the purposes of this specification.

The machines illustrated in Figs. 5 and (5' of my drawings contain novelfeatures of con struction, which will be made the subject of a separateapplication for Letters Patent.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The method of developing mechanical motion fromelectrical energy, which consists in intermittingly varying the polarconditions of an electro-magnetic field and in like manner varyinginduced polar conditions in a movable element by correspondingly varyingseparate supplies of lield-exciting energy derived from any suitablesource o'l electricity.

The method of operating eleetromotors, which consists in developingpolar conditions in a magnetic field through the operation of oneportion of appropriate field-exciting electricity, then intcrmittinglyvarying said polar condition through the operation of anotherindependent but appropriate supply of lield exciting electricity, andalso sequentially pro ducing opposite but correspondingly-varied polarconditions in an armature or driven element, so that, the latter beingcapable of rota-- tion and the polar conditions of the magnetic fieldbeing changed or varied in advance of the corresponding changes in thearmature, there will be developed the alternate attractive and repulsivemagnetic conditions essential for enabling said armature to operate as amovable or driven element.

The method of con erting electrical energy into mechanical motion, whichconsists in feeding an element which affords a magnetic field withindependent supplies of fieldexciting electricity and in delivering saidelectricity under intermitting or impulsive conditions, and therebypositively developing variations in the polar condition of the mag neticfield and sequentially developing consequent polar variations in amovable clemen t. or armature.

-;l-. The method of converting electric energy into mechanicalmotion,which consists in positively developing varied polar conditionsin an electro'magnct element by supplying it with field-excitingelectricity by independent circuits and under intermitting or impulsiveconditions, and sequentially developing in an armature elementcorresponding variations in its induced polar condition.

5. In an electric motor, a fieldevciting element embodying helicesorganized into separate sets or divisions and capable of beingseparately and variably energized, means which independently supply saidsets of helices with electric energy under impulsive or intcrmittingconditions, and an armature containing magnetizable metal which isvariably polarized and made to move by the variable energization of thefield-exciting element.

6. In an electric motor, an clectro-magnet consisting of magnetizablemetal annnlarly arranged, exciting-helices organized in separate sets ordivisions, means which independently energize said helices with electricenergy under impulsive or intermitt-ing conditions for developingvariable polar conditions in said electromagnet, and a rotative armaturecontaii'iing magnetizable metal which is variably polarized by thevariable polarization of said magnet and thereby caused to rotate.

'7. In. an electric motor, the combination, substantially ashereinbefore described, of a magnetizable armature, two sets ofexcitinghelices, two separate electric circuits for en ergizing saidhelices, and a circuit-breakerin one of said circuits causing one ofsaid sets of helices to be intermittingly energized, and thereby varyingthe polar conditions of the armature and causing it to rotate.

S. In an electric motor, the combination, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, of a magnetizablc armature, separate sets at ex- ICCciting-helices, a separate circuit for energizing each set of helices,an electric generator common to both circuits, and ac'ircuit-b're'akerin one of said circuits which causes one of said sets of helices to beintermittingly energized and which also intermittingly varies theenergization of the other set or helices.

9. In an electric motor, the combination of an electro-magnet embodyingexciting-helices for developing one pair of poles, a second set ofhelices for developing a second pair of poles, separate electriccircuits for each of said sets of helices, means for alternately andvariably energizing said two sets of helices, and a magnetizablearmature which is variably polarized by or through the successiveoperations of said two sets of helices.

ADOLF KROEBER, PHILIP F. LARNER.

